Langham Hall walled kitchen garden
The walled garden of Langham Hall totals an area of approximately 3.5 acres and is divided in two. One side is an ornamental 'pleasure garden', with herbaceous borders, rose arches, huge old Wisterias, a pretty summerhouse, and a grass Tennis court. It also currently houses Sue Wooster's national collection of Alpine Campanulas see www.alpinecampanulas.co.uk.
On the side furthest from Langham Hall is the productive kitchen garden, complete with the old head gardener's cottage actually built in to the wall. It is in this area of approximately 2 acres that Langham Herbs is located.
When first taking on the garden in March 2006 Phil Mizen's first job was to get as much of the land back in to production as possible after years of neglect. Most of what had once been vegetable growing land had reverted to rough grassland and had to be cleared as a priority. This was done mechanically, as from the outset it was decided that a no-chemical approach was to be practised in the garden.
Soil fertility and structure is maintained and improved by incorporating farmyard manure (Langham Hall Stud is literally on the other side of the wall), compost made on-site, by growing and turning in to the soil a range of green manures, and by practising an annual crop rotation, which also helps to minimise the build-up of pests and disease in the soil.
Fleece and fine mesh crop covers are placed over certain vegetable types to protect them from attack by such pests as Carrot fly, aphids, caterpillars, and pesky pigeons - nobody said that growing chemical free would be easy!
A 20 metre long polytunnel enables the cultivation of warm climate crops such as Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers, and Aubergines in the summer. During the winter the tunnel is used to grow salad leaves and herbs.
The 1960's greenhouse is used for propagating seeds and cuttings, and in the summer months heat-loving crops are grown in its borders.
History
The Suffolk Gardens Trust has recently undertaken the task of plotting the history of the garden, and in its preliminary report it has unearthed evidence that shows there has been a walled garden on the site since at least 1705. The earliest surviving map of the garden is dated 1832, showing a layout that is very similar to that of today.
The glasshouse that once leaned up against the gardener's cottage is long gone, though the brickwork of its foundations can still be seen. The later 3-room greenhouse, probably dating back to the early 20th century was demolished less than 10 years ago. Its brick plinth remains, with a modern Aluminium greenhouse standing within it, and over a reservoir that captured rainwater from the roof of the old structure, now a haven for newts. On the other side of the high south-facing wall you can still see the chimney of the boiler that heated the glasshouse; some of the large heating pipes are still present. In front of the cottage stand a row of cold frames, though the glass lights that covered them have not survived. In the late 1950's/early 60's the current owner's father, Mr Tom Blackwell, had a new greenhouse constructed against the south wall. Around the same time an orchard of Apple, Pear, Plum, and Gage trees was planted. Many of the trees are still productive today, as are some of the much older espalier trees that line the central pathway and the walls. These were supplied by Laxtons of Bedford; evidenced by the cast metal nameplates still attached to the trunks of some of them. The names of these include 'Adams Pearmain',' Peasgood Nonsuch', 'Allington Pippin', and 'Lord Derby'.
To the north-east of the garden stands a range of buildings that once supported the activities of the garden - storage sheds, including a 2-story Apple and Potato store, potting sheds, and probably a bothy in which the more junior gardeners would have lived. In 2000 these buildings were converted in to an award winning development of smart offices, now occupied by Accountants and Tax specialists KPSK.
Back in the garden's heyday there would probably have been a workforce of 12 to 15 to maintain the walled gardens and the formal gardens around the Hall, though no documents have yet been found that specify a precise number of workers. A local previous employee reports that in the 1960's when he worked in the garden there was still a garden staff of 5.
Future
Gradually more of the grassed areas will be turned over to vegetable and herb production, and when time and resources allow it is hoped that more restoration work can be done to the garden. This programme of work includes the recovery of the network of paths and their rope twist terracotta edging. The planting and training of traditional varieties of fruit trees is another task on the list, and upgrading the aviary - otherwise known as the fruit cage!
The intention is to recapture the spirit of the golden age of walled gardening, whilst running it as a commercial small scale market garden.
| Beetroot | £1.20 500g |
| Carrots - New crop | £1.30 500g |
| Cucumber - short | £0.60 each |
| French beans - New | £1.80 250g |
| Langham Honey - clear | £3.50 1lb jar |
| New Potatoes 'Charlotte' | £1.50 kg |
